Title Joy for Splott

Splott Rovers sealed the Division One title with a 3-1 home victory over Carthage. With the visitors still looking nervously over their shoulders, Splott knew they would have to work hard for victory in this contest but they would come out deserved winners. A penalty did give Carthage the chance of an ideal start but Fabius Maximus’ effort was tipped over and Paul-Phillip Ravage’s header needed saving at the other end as Splott hit their straps. Henry Beast would see Aurelius catch his header but Eddie Venom did put Splott ahead with a fine strike from inside the area. Venom would quickly see a header go wide before Rodney Shuttlewood shot over as Splott continued to press. Ad Herbal did give them a shock by heading off the bar at the other end but the score would remain 1-0 to Splott at the break. Fantastic would make it 2-0 with a brilliant free-kick on 56 minutes while Hasdrubal Gisco saw a header saved at the other end. Venom would then look to have sealed the win with a simple header after a corner to leave Carthage three-down. However, they would keep battling and Hanno The Elder had a header saved before Gisco did pull a goal back with a fine lob from distance. Shuttlewood might have restored the three-goal lead but his powerful shot struck a post and they had to settle for a 3-1 victory. Cm will be delighted with such a successful season and can now start plotting life in the top division. Blakey will be becoming increasingly nervous and they face a massive match at Cardiff on Tuesday.

Smurftastic Smurfs and Pahang would play out a 1-1 draw as they remained close together at the top of the table. With both sides occupying a promotion place they were eager not to give ground to the other and this would result in a tight contest. Kilian Strongbow saw an early chip hit the bar for the visitors while Ashton Crosby drove an effort straight at Hussain as the game opened in fine fashion. Indeed, Dirk Heller put Pahang ahead with a comfortable finish on 18 minutes. Ernie Ormondroyd looked to level but saw his powerful shot saved before Strongbow had another well-placed shot saved at the other end. Holger Pfitzner would also see a header go wide as Pahang threatened more goals while Crosby’s header would also test Hussain at the other end as both sides looked capable. A quiet start greeted the resumption but Ted Caird did fire wide just after the hour for the hosts. Pfitzner wouldn’t threaten Bogefeldt from a shot for Pahang and they would pay the price as Harold Yates put through his own goal to level the match on 70 minutes. Iain Emery saw a toe-poke saved as the hosts tried to pinch the win but in the end the sides had to settle for a point each. Thesmurf will see this as points dropped at home and they face another test of their credentials with a trip to AJ on Tuesday. MrT will be pleased with the point and explained that they ‘have already prepared (their) strategy for the next game.’

F.C. Greatness moved level on points with the Smurfs courtesy of a 2-1 home win over African Imitators. With Greatness strong at home they knew they had to capitalise on these fixtures as they looked to bridge the gap into the top three. However, things didn’t start quite as planned with Luigi McKeever thumping home a free-kick to put the visitors ahead. Fabio Cannavaro would then see a lob go over for the hosts but they would level on 35 minutes as Martinus Benfari headed home a fine cross. The second-half would see Fabian Ostgard hit the bar with a chip as Greatness looked to hit the front and they duly would as Mario Balotelli volleyed home a super effort to the delight of the home fans. Percival Horsfield did have the chance to pinch a point for the visitors but he was denied by Calvert and Greatness had secured three vital points. Greatness have a good chance for more points as they travel to Bumerang next but they will recognise they can’t slip-up as they chase a promotion spot. Gravitons’ side might need to pick up a win before they can fully relax but a match against Splott doesn’t look easy next up.

AJ Rovers ensured they kept alive their hopes of promotion with a 1-0 home success over Bumerang. With the visitors sitting bottom of the table, AJ knew this was a must-win in their quest for top division football next season. However, they would endure a nervous first 45 minutes as neither side managed to create any openings and went in deadlocked at the break. The second-half saw the home side improve with Donovan Bronach powering an early effort high over the bar. Bronach would then see a header blocked by Stancu but Rovers would take the lead when Cletus Aspinall placed the ball beyond the ‘keeper on 88 minutes. Rikard Lind had a late chance to level but couldn’t beat Hodges with his header and the points belonged to Rovers. Rothion said the ‘players must show 100% commitment in order to make their dreams come true’ as the season reaches its climax. Bumerang will realise nothing less than three wins will probably do if they are to survive but they don’t have it easy in their next encounter with F.C. Greatness coming to town.

Cardiff City enjoyed a crucial win down near the relegation zone as they edged Kensington Boys Club 2-1. With both sides still far from safe this was the stereotypical ‘relegation six-pointer.’ Cardiff had the first effort but Stephen Julius’ free-kick was gathered by Lorentzen. Franklin Bodin would waste their next chance by shooting wide before Albert Finley shocked them by powering in a header to give Kensington the lead. Chano Paya quickly forced Lorentzen into a leg save as Cardiff looked to hit back and they would be rewarded on the stroke of half-time as Tommaso Miceli lobbed home from inside the area to ensure parity at the break. Maurice Jacobs nearly put KBC back in front from the restart as he put a lob header against the bar before Paya side-footed against the bar at the other end. A free-kick saw Julius narrowly miss for the hosts but Miceli would power in a shot from distance to put Cardiff ahead. James Wilde tried to reply in kind for KBC but put his first free-kick straight at Peyton and then repeated the dose 10 minutes later. Miceli tried for a hat-trick on 87 minutes but put his set-piece wide before Wilde wasted a late chance for KBC from another free-kick. Ultimately, the points would belong to the home side who will feel confident of safety if they can follow this up with another three points at home to Carthage on Tuesday. Patrik also has a massive match with Milan coming to KBC and a win for the home side would also boost their survival chances enormously.

Milan would draw 2-2 with Bonkers as neither side massively improved their chances of beating the drop at Crazy Town. With the teams occupying two of the bottom three slots the match took on mammoth proportions. Innocenzion Filippinetti missed with an early lob for the home side before Simone Spina put a flick header straight at Hawke at the other end. Stefan Beelenkamp brushed a post with a free-kick for the hosts on seven minutes before putting another one wide later in the half. Jonte Sandholm would waste the final chance of the half as he volleyed over for the visitors and the sides would go in level at 0-0. Milan would make an explosive start to the second-half, though, as Sandholm lobbed in cleverly to give them a crucial advantage. However, Joel Weymouth would quickly steer in an equaliser and Filippinetti might have made it better but hit a post with a powerful low shot. He would also go close from a headed chance while Sandholm put a header of his own over at the other end. Sandholm would fare better on 79 minutes as he flicked a header home as Milan restored their lead but Garry Maynard would enjoy some fortune as he mishit a shot home on 86 minutes to level the game once more. This would prove the final chance of the game as the sides shared the spoils. Gareth Lloyd must now steel his side for a trip to Pahang knowing they need to pick up something if they are to boost their hopes. Xmensch also has a road trip and victory at Kensington would see them move out of the bottom three at the most opportune of times.